Life Is A Highway
by JLs Forever
Summary: She wasn't at all what He was expecting. He expected someone short and dowdy with glasses. He pictured someone who never laughed, never did anything for pleasure. But the woman before him wasn't like that at all. She was different...Clearly different!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer :-**I don't own One Tree Hill. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW Network.

**Summary :-** _**She wasn't at all what He was expecting. He expected someone short and dowdy with glasses, a butch hairdo, and thick hairy legs. He pictured someone who never laughed, never did anything for pleasure, and wore a business suit like a military uniform. The woman before him wasn't like that at all. **_

**A/N :-** Hey guys, this is my first story and I originally wrote it about two years ago for another site. So finally, I decided to do some interesting changes and post it here. Therefore, I really hope you guys enjoy this. It's completely AU…which means the characters aren't going to be exactly like those we see on the show…. so, if you decide to read this, please keep an open mind. Thank you and please review…And like I said before, this is my first time on this board and I really want your opinion.

**~***~  
**

**Life Is ****A Highway**

_**by ****JLs Forever**__**.**_

"Blonde, redhead, black hair, blue eyes, black hair, green eyes, dark hair, pale skin, curly hair . . . when is this going to stop!"

"Miss, please keep your voice down!"

Haley blushed and ducked her head, only to realize she was standing in the middle of a massive pile of romance novels.

Haley had read romance novels before. The good ones had an intelligent, well rounded heroine, and a gorgeous male with muscles, at least eight inches, and a personality. There was only one problem: in every book the heroine was always a blonde, or a redhead, or had dark hair and brightly colored eyes. As someone living in a society where blondes had more fun, redheads were exotic, and dark hair and brown eyes were boring, she'd hoped that there would be at least one book in which someone as plain as she would have a chance at catching the gorgeous hunk of every fantasy.

Not that she was plain.

Haley had gorgeous legs, good cheekbones, decent breasts, and delicate lips. Her eyes were almond shaped and a shade of brown so dark they shifted between chocolate and black, depending on the light and her mood. Her skin had one of those chameleon tones that shifted from a pale yellow to a rich golden brown depending on the season.

The victim of a bad relationship, Haley hoped to find a fantasy to help her forget the combination of lousy sex, boring conversation, and emotional abuse that her association with Felix Taggaro, her deadbeat ex boyfriend, had been.

There she stood, in the middle of the nearest bookstore, hoping to find a romance novel that had someone like her in the story. Someone with straight brown hair and brown eyes, who was too much of an egalitarian to put up with the "the man is always right" crap she found in so many historical romances.

She'd been in the store over an hour and had yet to find anything.

If it hadn't been for the anal retentive store clerk, she'd still be screaming in frustration.

Haley found the whole situation incredibly depressing.

As she bent to pick up the discarded books, Haley resigned herself to another night with a bag of candy bars. It was a dirty shame.

She was just putting the last romance novel on the shelf when she felt a hand on her shoulder. The shock of it, the warmth of the hand combined with its strength had her stifling a shriek. Haley cursed herself and with a calming breath, she turned around.

The man before her had Haley's eyes nearly popping from her head.

She looked down at the book in her hand and back up at the man. Standing in front of her was the spitting image of the guy on the cover. Haley didn't know how to react, but as she was in an informal setting, she did what came naturally.

She bust out laughing.

"It's not that funny," the man said with a cynical twist of his lips. The hair was a bit shorter, and he seemed taller, the shoulders broader, but there was no denying it. This man was stereotypical romantic fantasy.

"Oh yes it is," she said amidst peals of laughter.

"I did some modeling in college," he said wryly. "I didn't realize what the pictures were for. If anything, you should be embarrassed for wanting to read those books in the first place!"

Haley managed to calm down enough to look at him with her most businesslike stare. The man had an air of arrogant derision that instantly put her off.

"I'm sorry, who are you, and what business is it of yours what my literary preferences are?"

"I'd hardly call that crap literature," the man said dryly. "Are you Haley James?"

"I am."

"And you are acquainted with Julian Baker," his voice was deep, his speech cultured.

"His office called me this morning. Why is it of any interest to you?" she asked coldly.

The man was striking, with raven colour hair, deep, stormy blue eyes, and broad shoulders neatly packed into a black colour business suit that emphasized his impressive height. There was something about him that made her want to pull his tie loose just to see what he looked like all mussed up, but his condescending demeanor instantly put her off. The man stank of money and breeding, which to her meant sexism, homophobia, and contempt for people of mixed blood.

"He's my friend," he replied as though it explained everything.

"I see."

Nathan was here in the interest of his best friend, the good natured but nervous Assistant head of Lazarus Biotech. He'd been duped into marrying a gold digger, and after a year of misery, he had finally mustered the courage to divorce his cheating, airhead wife. There were no children from the match becauseRachel Gatina Murray the Second didn't want to spoil her figure. There was however, the matter of money.

The Murrays were one of North America's founding families, but extravagance and poor financial handling put them on the road to poverty. The family matriarch, Rachel Gatina the first, arranged the advantageous marriage of Julian Baker to the Murray's idiot daughter. It had taken weeks of training to instruct her on how to seem like the kind, well rounded person Julian went for, and the ploy had worked. Julian had fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. They'd been married less than a week before Rachel the Second showed her true nature: stupid, shallow, spoiled, and like the village bicycle, everyone, male and female, had a ride.

It took just over a year for Julian to muster the courage to leave her. The Murray matriarch was outraged and her army of lawyers was preparing for war. The attorneys, Nathan knew, weren't being paid for their labors. They'd been promised the spoils from Julian's company. Julian wanted a champion; someone cold hearted, conniving and devious; someone who'd fight to the death with his mother in law, not caring who got destroyed in his wake. Julian asked Nathan, and Nathan asked an old friend of the family, Judge Marvin.

The Judge, to Nathan's surprise, named a young woman, Haley James.

"She's a killer, guaranteed. She'll chew Mrs. Murray up and spit her out. There'll be nothing left but her Birken bag," the Judge had told him, and with a smile he passed Nathan her contact info.

So this, he'd thought cynically, was Miss Haley James. She wasn't at all what Nathan was expecting. The judge had described her as cold and severe, with the type of no nonsense disposition ideal for dealing with his friend's domineering "soon to be ex" mother in law. Nathan expected someone short and dowdy with glasses, a butch hairdo, and thick hairy legs. He pictured someone who never laughed, never did anything for pleasure, and wore a business suit like a military uniform.

The woman before him wasn't like that at all.

Her hair was dark brown and straight, neatly tied back, her lips were full; her skin a pale olive tone, and her brown, almond shaped eyes sparkled with intelligence. She seemed to be the type to laugh a lot, and had no qualms doing it at someone else's expense. She was roughly 5'7 in height, undoubtedly helped by the high heels she wore, and her curvy body filled her white pantsuit nicely. She wasn't ugly by any definition, but not especial enough to tempt him.

"His office called you this morning, and you gave him an appointment for next Thursday. That will not do."

"So he sent you, an underling, to try and persuade me to take him sooner. Is that it? I'm very sorry Mr . . .?"

"Scott, Nathan Scott." Most people were impressed by the name. "And I am not an underling."

"Whatever," Haley said dismissively, "I am horribly sorry, but your friend will have to wait like everyone else."

His family was known and respected all over the world, but this woman didn't seem to care.

"My friend is in the middle of a very horrible divorce. Judge Marvin recommended you, and Mr. Baker needs your services immediately."

"I'm flattered, but I am very busy. I will see your friend next week as planned," she said, hoping it would get rid of him. Haley waited patiently for him to leave, but Nathan stood his ground.

"Would you be willing to put other clients aside until the matter is concluded?"

Haley ignored the question. "Why did he send you?"

"I volunteered," Nathan said, "because he is uncomfortable with your kind."

Haley arched a brow. "Lawyers?"

"Killers," Nathan corrected, "Julian wanted someone ruthless and the Judge insisted that was you. I caught your secretary on his way out. He said I'd find you here."

The secretary in question had been a cartoon: a flaming homosexual in a bright pink shirt and tight black slacks. The man had stifled an unprofessional squeal when he saw him, and promptly told Nathan where to find her.

"Mr. Baker is willing to make you a generous offer to put your other clients aside until the matter is settled."

At the mention of money, her lips tightened as though he'd insulted her. That won her points in Nathan's eyes. He loathed bottom feeders.

"I am immensely flattered, but I am not easily bought. I am a very busy woman, so if you'll excuse me," she tried to move around him, but once again, Nathan stood his ground.

"You're not busy now," Nathan corrected.

Haley took a calming breath. "It's the end of the day... on a Friday, no less. I have been on my feet since five in the morning. I am exhausted, and I have neither the patience nor the inclination to deal with the likes of you right now, so kindly get out of my way."

Nathan changed tactics. It appeared that he'd caught her at a bad time, but that didn't mean his friend had to suffer.

"He could have any lawyer, but he wants you. He's in a bar down the street, and he's desperate. Please don't make him suffer because I caught you in a bad mood. Have a drink with him and listen to the details. If after hearing him you'd still rather not take the case, you can refer him to one of your colleagues."

Haley's features softened slightly at his plea, and with a sigh of resignation, she smoothed her clothes and picked up her briefcase.

"One drink," she said curtly, "I'll look over his papers and make my decision." Nathan had no idea why he did it, but he found himself offering her his arm. She stared at it for a second as though it was a foreign object, and then she laughed, shook her head, and headed out of the store in front of him.

He directed her to an Irish Pub minutes from the bookstore. Haley didn't bother to hide her surprise. McLean seemed beneath a man like Nathan Scott, who had the dress and manner of the arrogant hero of an old English novel. They walked in and moved to a table next to the front window, where a nervous man sat nursing his beer. The man smiled when he saw them, and ran a hand through his mussed dark brown hair.

"I'm so glad you've agreed to see me, Miss James," he said, with an obvious tremor in his voice.

"Call me Haley," she said with a smile. There was something about the man that made her want to put him at ease.

"I owe you one, Nathan . . . for bringing her," he said with a warm smile. The two had clearly been friends for years.

"Don't worry about it," was his friend's reply, "Can I get you something to drink, Miss James?"

She was acutely aware of the heat of him as he sat beside her, but refused to acknowledge it or his inviting scent.

"One shot of vodka," she told him, and with a nod he turned to the approaching waitress and ordered her drink and a scotch for himself.

She chatted idly with Mr. Baker, and when the drinks came, she tossed hers back and demanded the details. She put on a pair of glasses and leafed through the papers he gave her, frowning at a lot of things, her brow arching at others. After a couple of minutes she pulled a pen and notebook from her briefcase and started scribbling. Nathan couldn't make heads or tails of her handwriting but she seemed to know what she was doing, and that was all that mattered. With a hum, Haley put down her pen and was about to speak when a bottle blonde toothpick carrying a poodle in a designer bag in one hand and a cell phone in the other came storming in.

"Oh my God!" the girl squealed when she saw them, "Mommy said that you were divorcing me! Julipoo, it's not true is it? Don't you want to stay married to me?"

"I . . . no I don't" Julian said uneasily.

"But don't you love me? Don't you want to take care of me?" she screamed. "Julipoo, call off this whole thing! I didn't mean to screw the chauffeur . . . and your last intern . . . and my yoga instructor . . . and the guy who does my . . . "

"Rachel, you're making a scene here," Julian gently interrupted.

"I don't care!" Rachel screamed, jumping up and down.

"That's the ex-wife?" Haley asked.

"Indeed," was Nathan's reply. He got up, intending to lead Rachel out of the bar, but to his surprise, Haley raised her hand.

"Allow me," she said politely, and got to her feet. In a gesture of chivalry, she stepped between Rachel and Nathan.

"Who the fuck are you?" Rachel demanded.**  
**  
"Scott, call Miss Murray a cab, please," she said calmly.

"No! I'm not going anywhere!" Rachel insisted as Nathan opened his phone.

"Oh yes you are," Haley corrected. "As you clearly lack the mental capacity to understand what's going on, I'll put it to you in baby terms. 'Julipoo' is divorcing you because you are a stupid spoiled whore. He has filed papers and will do everything in his power to make sure that you will never see a penny of his money. Now unless you want to embarrass yourself even further, I strongly suggest you get in that cab."

Next to Rachel Murray's bulimia induced thinness and excessive make up, Haley's gold skin glowed in the bar's dim light, and her beautiful curves flared despite her slender frame. It was like watching an Amazon Queen face off against a Barbie doll, one striking and exotic, and the other, cookie cutter plastic. As he watched the two women, Nathan's initial impression of Haley shifted from one of ambivalence, to one of utter beauty.

"How dare you! You fucking nobody whore! Do you know who I am?!" Rachel moved to slap her, but Haley caught her hand and twisted it behind the other woman's back.

"I know exactly who you are, and I don't give a damn," she said tersely.

The redhead screamed and squealed and vowed vengeance, but Haley ignored it. Nathan watched with a mix of horror and admiration as, with a death grip on Rachel Murray's arm, she dragged her out of the bar and all but shoved her into the waiting cab.

Haley returned to the bar to the sound of applause, and with a smile she wiped off her hands and took a theatrical bow. The waitress brought a fresh shot of vodka, compliments of the owner, and Haley sat down and smiled.

"That felt really good," she said on a lusty sigh. "I'll take the case."

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

It was probably the dumbest thing Haley had ever said. She was already swamped with work and one more case was going to ruin her weekend. Not that she had anything planned, but she didn't want to spend another day off with her nose buried in a file.

Haley knew what did her in. She took one look at Julian Baker's and at the wife who'd so obviously duped him, and she had to give in. If there was one thing she hated, it was spoiled, vapid blondes. Her heart went out to the victim . . . and Nathan Scott knew it. Julian Baker was brilliant, timidly cute, and conveniently rich. He was the ideal choice of mate for the first daughter of an impoverished old family because he seemed so monumentally naive. How his friend had allowed him to go through with the marriage was anyone's guess, and she thought even less of Nathan because of it.

As she tossed back her second shot, she whipped out her cell phone and called_Chris_. Her secretary would be pissed about working this weekend, but she made more than enough money to be able to tempt him with a few extra dollars. An amateur esthetician in his spare time,_ Chris_ would insist on doing her hair and nails while working and she didn't mind at all. He often did beautiful work, and whatever she didn't like was easily removable with soap, water, and acetone.

To Haley's surprise, he was more than willing to help; his latest fuck buddy had cancelled their getaway and he had nothing better to do.

"Thanks_ Chris_. You've saved my ass."

"Remember that the next time I ask for a raise," was his grinning reply. With a laugh and a sigh of relief, she closed her cell phone and turned to her new client.

"Now, Mr. Baker let's discuss my fee. I am going to a great deal of trouble for you, so I'll be expecting triple my hourly rate."

"Anything," Julian said quickly.

"I think not," Nathan interjected.

Haley's spine stiffened at his response; she turned toward him with an irritable twist of her lips. Nathan's heart rate jumped as those eyes narrowed on him, but he managed to seem cold and impassive.

"Nobody asked you," she said slowly.

"I am merely trying to prevent my friend from being cheated," he said gently.

"Then you should have stopped the marriage in the first place," was her reply.

Julian looked sick, and realizing what she'd said, Haley immediately apologized, putting her narrow fingers over his in attempt to reassure him. Nathan, for his part, looked wounded, but Haley didn't care. If his friend had intervened, they wouldn't be in this mess to begin with.

Nathan wanted to stop the marriage, but he didn't want to become his namesake by breaking up two people who seemed to love each other. He'd been right about Rachel Murray, and the guilt was killing him. He knew Julian would have broken things off if only he'd said something. That's why it had been imperative that he hire Haley James. If she was the killer the judge had described, then she was the one to get his friend out of this as neatly as possible. At her stinging reply, he bowed out of the negotiations and nursed his scotch. While she spoke with Julian, he scanned the women in the bar. There were any number of pretty faces welcoming his idle scrutiny, but to his irritation, he felt nothing. He looked back at his friend's divorce lawyer and felt an uncomfortable tug in his gut. Nathan didn't believe in love at first sight, but he couldn't think of any rational explanation for what he was feeling. Of this, she seemed completely unaware; her attention was focused solely on his friend. She smiled warmly when he stuttered, and reassured Julian that he would get out of the marriage unscathed. He should have been pleased, but he wasn't. He was jealous of her smiles, and the way she warmed so easily to his friend and not to him. Nathan shrugged philosophically. He'd long since accepted that he didn't have that kind of charm.

She agreed to see Julian first thing Monday morning and announced her plan to leave. Like a perfect gentleman, Nathan stood when she got up and offered to drive her home. He wanted her attention on him, if only for a moment.

"That's unnecessary," she said politely, "I can take public transit,"

"It's dangerous for a young lady to be out at this hour," Nathan said to her obvious irritation. He suspected that a nastier refusal was on the tip of her tongue when Julian stepped in on his behalf. As though on cue, thunder sounded outside and rain beat against the bar's heavy windows.

Nathan was beginning to think it was fate.

"Let Nathan drive you home, Haley," Julian said hastily. "He'll be a perfect gentleman or he'll here it from me in the morning!"

Haley sincerely doubted Julian could do anything to make Nathan Scott suffer. Julian was several inches shorter, with narrower shoulders. The man came off as too nice for his own good, but she was beginning to realize that Julian's gentle, persuasive charm was its own kind of power. Much to her irritation, Haley realized she wouldn't refuse this man anything.

**~***~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer :-** I don't own One Tree Hill. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW Network.

**A/N :-** Hey guys, .thank you so much for your amazing reviews. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Anyhow, talking about this story.… I just want to remind that, this story was originally like a One-shot kind of deal, but I decided to split it into three chapters. I hope you all don't mind about that. Anyway, I hope to update again relatively soon, so let me know what you all thought of this chapter by dropping me a review. Thanks!

**Summary :-** _**She wasn't at all what He was expecting. He expected someone short and dowdy with glasses, a butch hairdo, and thick hairy legs. He pictured someone who never laughed, never did anything for pleasure, and wore a business suit like a military uniform. The woman before him wasn't like that at all. **_

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

**_Chapter 02_**

It was the second time that evening that she'd given in, and she didn't like it, but with a sigh, she picked up her briefcase, and bid Baker goodnight.

Nathan was quiet as they walked to his car in the pouring rain and she was grateful. She didn't like they way he'd loomed over her while she was working, quietly assessing, and probably judging her. She'd seen his horror at how she treated Julian's wife, and the contempt with which he'd eyed the bar's patrons. The man was a snob and a half, and she didn't want spend another minute with him.

As she suspected, he drove a classy black Mercedes, and even opened the door for her. When he was safely behind the wheel, she gave him her address half an hour from downtown.

"So what were you doing in the bookstore?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Wasn't it obvious? I was looking for some crap to read," she hoped that would shut him up.

"Why?"

"Why do you want to know?" Haley responded, confused as to what Nathan was getting at.

"All I know is that you're a killer. I'd like to know more," Nathan said simply.

"Alright, it's not like I'll see you again, anyway,"

Nathan had no intention of letting that happen, but he didn't say as much.

"I'm twenty six years old. I come from an upper middle class and I was looking for a romance novel to ease the pain and frustration in the aftermath of a bad relationship,"

"How long has it been since the break up?"

Haley shrugged.

"A few months; not that it matters. It wasn't love...it wasn't even lust," she said with bitter cynicism.

Nathan smiled, silently elated she wasn't attached.

He pulled up to her home, a 1920s style brick house, and watched her as she fumbled with the seatbelt.

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Scott" she said politely, jerking the belt open with a grunt of frustration.

"Nathan" he corrected.

"I barely know you," she said with her hand on the door handle. She was half soaked from the walk to the car. She wanted to go inside, put on a pair of pajamas and go to bed, not carry on an awkward conversation with a man who belonged on the cover of a bodice ripper.

"Fair enough; let me walk to you to your door. You're shivering and I have an umbrella,"

"You can't help it, can you?" Haley said coyly.

"Help what?" Nathan asked.

"That 'perfect gentleman' thing; you can't help it can you?"

"I suppose not" he said laconically.

Nathan grabbed his umbrella and followed her out of the car. He moved close to her, shielding her from the rain and she tensed as they reached her doorstep. Haley reached for her keys, cursing as she rummaged around for them.

"Thanks for agreeing to help" Nathan said.

"You're a loyal friend" she replied with a smile. Ignoring him now, she found her keys and slid them into the lock. Haley had her hand on the door handle. She intended to dismiss Nathan and go inside, but looking up at his face, she stilled.

Those intense blue eyes were focused on her, and something in her belly clenched in response. Haley felt incredibly awkward. They were at the door; _why the hell wasn't he leaving?_

She didn't have much time to ponder that question, because Nathan reached behind her and pulled out her elastic. As he slid his fingers into her hair and tilted her head back, her briefcase hit the floor, and her mind went blissfully, deliciously blank.

The kiss was tentative at first.

Nathan wanted a taste, just one taste to get him through the night...and then she let out the tiniest of moans and he deepened the kiss. Her hand fisted in his jacket, jerking him closer and he gasped, pleased with her strength. Lost now, he slid an arm around her waist, wallowing in the taste of her.

"I need you," he murmured against her gasping lips, and she pulled away, staring at him with a mixture of arousal and confusion.

"This is crazy. I don't even know you," she said, and then to his surprise, she took his face in her hands and kissed him again. It was a mystery of human chemistry he didn't fully understand; that your true mate, that cosmic lover pre assigned, tasted and felt like home; at once soothing and potently arousing. His arm tightened around her waist, wanting to lose himself in her strength when, with equal ferocity, she pulled away.

"I am so sorry" she said shakily, wincing with embarrassment. "I never do this. I'll take care of your friend, but I hope we can forget about this,"

Before Nathan could even respond, she'd rushed inside and disappeared, leaving him staring at the door.

_What the hell just happened!  
_

This whole situation was crazy, and God help him, he had it bad.

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

"You're hiding something," Chris said the following afternoon, eyeing his boss with suspicion. They'd been working all day, and throughout the day, Haley would pause, as though remembering something, take a deep breath, blush, and shake her head, as though waking from a dream.

"I am not," Came Haley's muffled reply.

"Spill it, James!"

Haley did that lip biting thing she did when she was nervous.

"I made out with Nathan Scott" she said with a bowed head.

"You mean the GORGEOUS guy who came looking for you yesterday?... What the hell is wrong with you! You look like you're embarrassed!"

"I am," Haley coyly said.

"What the fuck for?"_ Chris_ screamed.

"Because he's rich, and from a prestigious family and—"

"To hell with that!.... So, what was it like?"

Haley did that lip biting thing again.

"It was... amazing" the man tasted incredible and kissed better than any fantasy. She'd become oblivious to him until they'd kissed, and now... "Oh, hell! It doesn't matter anyway. I don't plan to see him ever again!"

"It's a shame..." _Chris_ said sadly.

"Sure, a damn dirty shame," she muttered cynically. "Let's get to work"

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

The next few weeks were a blur. Haley got Julian neatly out of his marriage with his money intact, and thankfully saw nothing of Nathan Scott. Baker paid her fee and more than pleased with her work, he referred her and her firm to all his wealthy colleagues. Despite the taxing ordeal, or perhaps because of it, she and Julian had become fast friends. As Julian's friend, Haley knew she wouldn't able to dodge Nathan forever, but with extreme discipline and a mind crushing workload, she managed to push the incident to the back of her mind.

"Do me a favor?" Julian asked shyly one day over lunch.

"Within reason" Haley smiled at him.

"There's this charity ball I have to go to. Would you come with me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Haley stared at him as though he'd grown a second head.

"A charity event..." she said slowly, not bothering to hide her disgust.

"It's something I go to every year as part of the whole 'wealthy businessman' routine. I normally go with my wife, but… I don't have one anymore," Julian said uneasily, shoving his fingers through his hair.

"You're much better for it," Haley said reassuringly, gently tapping his hand with a fingertip. "Go stag to this thing. With your looks you'll probably be considered the most eligible bachelor in town."

"I don't want to deal with all the questions and gossip. Come with me...please?" Julian begged.

Haley couldn't stand that look because she couldn't say no to it.

"This isn't a date is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"Good God No!" Julian replied instantly. "Nothing personal, Haley, but after all I've been through, dating is the last thing on my mind. Please come with me...I'll make it up to you,"

Haley sighed.

"Fine, Where and when?" Haley sing-songed.

Julian brightened instantly.

"Friday; be ready by seven. I'll pick you up…And yes, I knew you'd agree," He bumped his fist with Haley's.

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

"I HATE these events," Haley growled at the mirror while _Chris_ put the final touches on her hair.

"But you look fabulous!" Chris said admiringly.

Haley stared at herself in the mirror and frowned. The dress was floor length ruby red satin with a high slit up the side, and left her back bare save for two straps that crossed between her shoulder blades. It wasn't something she would have chosen for herself, but Haley admitted Chris had impeccable taste. He'd done her hair up, crammed her feet into high heels, and painted her lips to match the dress.

"You did a good job," she admitted, and in response Chris smiled and handed her a red beaded bag.

At that moment, a silver Porsche pulled up in front of her house. Like the perfect gentlemen, Julian opened the door and waved.

"Be sure to lock up" she told _Chris_, and with a deep breath she headed outside.

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

Haley hated formal events.

They were always full of the same people: middle aged businessmen, trophy wives, and aging patriarchs. If you took the combined personality of the room and multiplied it by a thousand, you might have something as interesting as a documentary on socks. These people, she thought cynically, were society's big decision makers. They gave money to just about every group that asked, but they wouldn't be caught dead with any of them. The charity 'du jour' was Cold Youth, an organization that specialized in getting street kids into stable homes and schools. "I feel like I'm going into a shark pool" she murmured.

"How do you think I feel?" Julian replied nervously. He reached for her hand, and she took it and squeezed briefly.

Steeling herself against the whispers of women in the room, she made the rounds with Julian. They said hello to all the people he had to, and stayed silent while he chatted business with the old patriarchs. Haley wished she had a watch. One evening was beginning to feel like an eternity...and just when she thought things couldn't get worse, Nathan Scott walked in. She knew, because she all but felt him.

His tux was immaculate of course, and on his arm was a smiling young brunette ten years his junior. Haley turned her back, hoping he hadn't seen her, but he simply moved in front of her.

"How are you this evening, Miss James?" Nathan asked with a smile.

"Very well, thank you" she answered stiffly.  
_  
Damn, he looked beautiful tonight. Ghaaa! Beautiful?...... What the fuck, Haley?_

When she had first seen him she turned her back, revealing an expanse of smooth gold skin that all but stopped his heart. She was here as Julian's date, a fact that would have angered him if he hadn't seen the way his friend was eyeing his sister. Haley tried smiling at him but it looked more like a grimace. Nathan couldn't blame her; their last encounter didn't make things easy between them.

"Brooke! My God! I haven't seen you since you were twelve!" Julian exclaimed, eyeing his sister with the kind of rapt admiration one usually reserved for divas.

"Brooke?" Haley asked with a lift of her brow.

"My sister" Nathan replied, introducing them. Haley's features softened with what looked like relief. She looked from him to his sister, trying to discern similarities between them, and she must have found some because Haley smiled warmly.

"Nice to meet you, Brooke; are you enjoying the party?"

"I don't really enjoy these things," Brooke admitted sheepishly. "I'd rather be out with friends, but my brother didn't have a date."

Nathan watched as Haley enjoyed another laugh at his expense. Apparently that was all it took to win her friendship, and he stared at his sister with admiration while she chatted it up with his dream girl. Julian, he realized, much to his irritation, was watching Brooke with puppy dog eyes.

His sister was only twenty five and Julian was fresh out of a bad marriage. This didn't bode well to Nathan.

He was about to intervene when Haley announced that Julian owed her a dance. "I didn't know you danced..." Julian began.

"I don't" she said amicably, grabbing his hand, "teach me".

As it seemed like the only way to avoid boring, awkward conversation, Nathan followed suit, pulling his sister onto the dance floor.

"She's gorgeous, Nate" Brooke told him as they waltzed effortlessly across the floor, "But…she doesn't seem to like you,"

"I have that effect on people," he answered dryly, watching Brooke's mouth twist in a frown. "She's not indifferent" he added, remembering the ferocity with which she'd kissed him, "But…she hasn't had a chance to get to know me, either"

"You didn't give her one, Nathan. You shouldn't have backed off like that. She probably thinks it was a fluke,"

"She was busy with Julian's divorce. I didn't want to bother her," Nathan groaned.

His sister stared at him with that look she'd perfected in her early teens; '_the you're an idiot'_ look.

"When it comes to women, you're not normally such a colossal moron," Brooke said thoughtfully. "Why is this one any different?"

"I actually care," he muttered irritably, hating it when she was right. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Brooke smiled slowly. "That's easy; the band's about to play a slow one. Switch partners,"

"But Julian's got a..."

Brooke quickly cut him off. "I can handle it, bro"

With a nod of surrender, Nathan spoke to Julian over Brooke's shoulder. With a smile and a blush, Julian gave in, and they smoothly switched companions.

"Thanks a lot, Nathan," Haley murmured irritably.

"You look annoyed with me" he said cautiously, surprised at how easily she fit in his arms.

"I was trying to help you. You clearly don't like Julian ogling your sister. I dragged him onto the dance floor to get him away from her,"

"My sister can take of herself," he said dryly, looking over her shoulder to make sure Julian's hands were at waist level. "But I appreciate the gesture."

"You'd better, I can't dance" she muttered, gasping when his fingers grazed her back. The move sent a tingle straight up her spine, and she cleared her throat, trying to shake it off. "Your fingers are callused," Haley said, not bothering to hide her surprise. Men like him typically had smooth hands with perfect manicures. This wasn't the case with Nathan Scott. The fingers gently caressing her back were man hands: big, strong, and rough with calluses.

"I blame it on a mix of swimming, playing ball, and woodcarving," he said.

"I can see you doing the first two...but woodcarving?" Haley asked incredulously

Nathan smiled slightly. He was one of those men who rarely smiled, and when he did it was more with his eyes than with his mouth. It made him that much more disarming, and despite herself, Haley relaxed in his arms.

"It's a hobby I picked up during my rebellious youth....you look beautiful tonight" He mumbled.

"Thank you" Haley said, trying not to be pleased. "What other scandalous activities did you take up?"

"Martial arts, playing basketball and a couple of other things my parents didn't really approve of...Do my calluses bother you?" he touched her back again, and she couldn't help sucking in a breath.

"Not at all" her voice sounded unusually high to her ears. Haley shut her eyes, trying to purge thoughts of what those calluses would feel like on other parts of her body.

"I don't want to forget about what happened a few weeks ago" Came his husky reply that sent shivers right through Haley's body.

Haley stumbled in her high heels, and Nathan moved to catch her. The gesture forced their bodies even closer on the dance floor and Haley placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. She marveled at his strength for a moment, inhaled the scent of cologne and man when she realized the music had stopped.

"Thank you for a wonderful dance, Mr. Scott," Haley mumbled, not looking at him. Her mind was in shock, not processing anything at the moment.

"Nathan" he quickly corrected.

"Right...join me in the ladies' room, will you Brooke?" she called after his sister, gently taking her by the arm. Brooke barely had time to accept before Haley rushed them away. Nathan stared after her, wondering how such an intelligent woman could pretend to be so thickheaded.

"I believe thanks are in order," Julian said as they headed towards the bar.

"What are you talking about?" Nathan mumbled, not lifting his head from the bar counter.

"I'm talking about you, thanking me, for bringing her,"

Nathan lifted his head. "I don't understand"

"I'm not blind, Nathan. I saw the way you were looking at her the night I hired her. I could have gone to this thing alone, but I didn't. I brought her here for you!"

"What?…..You mean….Thank you!" was all he could manage.

"Good. I'm having a party up North next weekend. I'll invite her, and you'll bring your sister--"

Nathan threw his fist down on the bar. "Now wait just one minute!" He said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't screw it up Nathan, I like her," Julian said stubbornly, and Nathan knew the matter was closed._ Damn it, Julian!!!  
_

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

"My brother said you were screaming in the middle of the romance section when he met you."

"Screaming is a bit of an exaggeration," Haley said carefully.

"Oh. Why were you screaming?"

Haley smiled over at Brooke. "Because I was hoping for a romance novel that would cater to someone like me."

"What do you mean by that?"

Haley ignored her question, quickly and asked from her. "Have you ever read those things?"

"A few," Brooke admitted.

"All the heroines are either redheads, or have exotic dark hair and bright blue or green eyes or look like . . . well . . . you. No offense." Haley sighed.

"None taken; but why would you read those things in the first place?"

Haley shrugged. "Romance doesn't happen in real life. Bad boys are deadbeats and gorgeous rich guys cower before even richer parents who don't want their precious bloodlines tainted by ethnics or the middle class. You probably hate me now don't you?" she asked cautiously. She expected to see anger and reproach in the other woman's eyes, but she didn't. She saw sympathy.

"You've obviously been burned before," Brooke said thoughtfully, "but don't write Julian and Nathan off because of it."

Haley smiled slightly, sadly, and took Brooke by the hand.

"Come on, I'm sure Julian's dying to see you!"

On a laugh the women left the bathroom, only to find their dates facing off against a woman as old as she was ugly.

The Murray was as mean as she was grotesque. Her five feet, four inch frame was covered with ugly fat with growths and age spots that the best make up artists couldn't conceal. Picture Jabba the Hut in Donna Karan.

As Haley and Brooke approached, Mrs. Murray the First's already cold eyes sharpened to dagger points.

"James, what are you doing here?"

"She's my date," Julian answered nervously.

Mrs. Murray's mouth twisted with disdain.

"As I suspected . . . Julian, you should be ashamed of yourself! You abandoned a perfectly respectable wife to cavort with an impoverished half breed!"

Haley's muscles tightened and Brooke put a hand on her arm, trying to reassure her. Around them, people began to stare.

"You should know better!" Mrs. Murray continued her rant, behaving as though Haley wasn't there. "Is the Baker fortune to be so tainted by the mongrel children of the South Pacific?"

"That's enough!" said a voice. Haley turned her jaw dropping as Nathan Scott stepped between her and Mrs. Murray. "Mrs. Murray, pray tell me, what year is it?"

"I don't see what that has to do with anything . . . "

"Humor me," Nathan said his voice ripe with irony.

"Its 2009," Mrs. Murray replied.

Nathan's head cocked in acknowledgment. "Well then perhaps you should return to the eighteenth century where you belong. Your opinions are about two hundred years out of date . . . but I suppose you can't help it, can you? You're what, five hundred years old?"

Brooke coughed, Julian cleared his throat, and the room echoed with soft chuckles and strangled laughs. Haley could only stare as Mrs. Murray stormed off, shouting about how she'd never been treated that way in her entire life.

She looked at Nathan, her heart hammering in her chest, and for the first time saw beyond his wealth and prestige. He defended her without a care for the opinions of business associates and fellow members of the modern aristocracy and something bloomed in her chest, melding with the already complicated attraction. When he offered her his hand Haley stared down at it, as if she couldn't tell what it was.

"I'm not going to sleep with you just because you defended me!" she said instantly. Then she stopped short, as though realizing what she'd said, and hastily announced that she had to leave. With what looked like a curtsy, she made her apologies to Julian and Brooke and bolted out of the ballroom like a bat out of hell.

"Go after her, you idiot!" Brooke told him as Nathan ran, but Haley was fast on her feet. By the time he'd reached the bottom of the front steps, she was already in the cab and driving away. Breathless and heartsick, Nathan looked down at the sidewalk.

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer :-** I don't own One Tree Hill. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW Network.

**Summary :-** _**She wasn't at all what He was expecting. He expected someone short and dowdy with glasses, a butch hairdo, and thick hairy legs. He pictured someone who never laughed, never did anything for pleasure, and wore a business suit like a military uniform. The woman before him wasn't like that at all. **_

**A/N :-** Hey guys, this is the final chapter. I just wanted to thank everyone who's read, reviewed, and supported this story. Some people emailed me and asked if I was planning on doing a sequel. I'm actually not going to, because this is what I originally planed when I first started to write this story. Again, thank you so much for your support, which hopefully will give me more confidence in writing my second NH fic [It'll be a long one, btw]. So, here is the last chapter…I hope you all enjoy it and will leave a review! Take Care!

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

**_Chapter 03 _**

At his feet was a single, shiny black high heel.

With a smile, he picked it up and went back inside.

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**

It had been a horrible evening.

First she had to face off against Jabba the Murray, and then she accused Nathan Scott of something he probably wasn't guilty of, and to top it all off she'd lost her goddamn shoe! _'Shit!!' _

She'd seen the hurt in his eyes at her accusation and it made Haley feel horrible.

She had to apologize; there was no getting around it, but she wasn't the type to do so easily. She tried sleeping, but tossed and turned for over an hour. Haley tried again, hearing the rain start, listening to each drop in the hope that the rhythm would put her to sleep before she finally let out an exasperated scream and got out of bed.

She showered quickly, scrubbing her hair with a ferocity most people used to clean pans, and pulled on a bra, tank top, and jeans. She slipped on a pair of running shoes, glossed her lips, and headed into the pouring rain toward her Miata. She knew exactly where she was going.

She knew it was rude to drop in on him at two in the morning, but she couldn't let the guilt keep her awake any longer. As she drove in to one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, Haley took a deep breath. She'd be facing a man none too pleased at being pulled out of bed, but she'd made her decision and was sticking to it.

The neighborhood was dark, as though the rain had caused a power failure. She had difficulty navigating but Haley managed to make it into Scotts' driveway unscathed. She paused as she turned off her car and ran her fingers through her damp hair. With a deep breath, she got out of the car.

Around her, rain fell in torrents. By the time she reached the doorstep of Scott Mansion, every attempt she'd made at her appearance had been washed away. To her surprise the door opened almost immediately, and she couldn't help gasping at what she saw.

There Nathan stood, in jeans, a bathrobe, and white shirt hanging open, revealing his gorgeous chest. His dark hair was tousled; he held a brass candlestick in his free hand, the flame illuminating his handsome features. Once again he looked like the textbook romantic hero, and Haley couldn't help but laugh.

"I hope you didn't come all this way to laugh at me," he said dryly.

Haley took a calming breath, and shook her head. "I came to apologize. Amm… May I come in?"

Nathan didn't answer, he simply stepped back, allowing her entry. She stepped into the lavish foyer and winced as her rain soaked shoes squished beneath her. With a shy smile, she toed out of them.

"What's with the candlestick?" she asked him.

"Power failure," Nathan answered with a smile.

"You don't have a generator?" Haley asked curiously.

"We've been having some trouble with it lately so I'm dealing with it the old fashioned way. God, you're soaking."

Haley smiled at him, blushing as she noticed his gaze travel down her body. "Yeah."

"I've got a fire going in the living room. Why don't we go there so you can warm up?" he suggested, leading her to a living room with plush leather couches and thick Persian rugs. Facing the sofa was a massive fire place. The house, she realized with an amused sense of irony, looked like a castle, inside and out. She was warming herself in front of the fire when Nathan nudged her back. He was holding two snifters of brandy.

"That's not necessary . . . " she began.

"You're shivering. Please . . . for my sake?"

Haley took the glass and sipped it slowly; looking into those stormy dark blue eyes with all the courage she could muster. "You're being too nice to me, Scott. You stood up for me and instead of thanking you I accused you of ulterior motives. It was unfair of me, and I'm sorry….I'm really really sorry"

She looked so beautiful, so miserable, standing in front of him with that apology in her eyes. He wanted to kiss her, strip the wet clothes from her body and warm her with his own, but he didn't. He just simply nodded.

"Apology accepted . . . but now I have to make a confession," he said, pleased to see her eyes widen. Nathan had seen that hungry look on her face when he'd opened the door. He'd seen the longing in her eyes when he defended her.

_She was his_. She just didn't know it yet.

"I spoke with my sister after you left and she revealed the details of your 'private' conversation. Judging by what she told me and your hesitation where I'm concerned, I'm going to take a few guesses and you can tell me if I'm wrong, ok?"

Haley bit her lip and nodded her head dumbly.

"You met a man of considerable wealth and stature. You fell in love, and planned to get married. His parents found out and started hurling racial and financial slurs at you. They picked on your appearance, your manners, and your professional integrity and threatened to cut him off if he married you. He dumped you and it's made you bitter where people with money are concerned. Am I right?"

She nodded again.

"You've made similar assumptions about me, and as a result, have avoided me like the plague."

"I said I was sorry," Haley said with a frown.

"And I accepted your apology….. Nonetheless, there are a few things you should know. My parents are dead, and even if they were alive they wouldn't care who I married as long I was happy. I am the head of my family, and who I see is my own Goddamn business, understand?"

She didn't like his tone of voice, but she nodded slowly. With a shaking hand she brought the glass to her lips and took a healthy gulp.

"You've been snapping at me since the moment we've met, assuming I'm something I'm not. Despite all this, I like you Haley, so here's what's going to happen... I'm going kiss you now…what happens next is entirely up to you."

He was in front her so swiftly Haley had no time to respond. His lips were on hers, prying them apart in a kiss so intense, so hungry, all she could do was suck in a breath. The snifter fell from her hands, and with arms as limp as spaghetti, she raised them, resting her hands on his chest. The feel of his muscles, the crisp hair, the texture and scent of his skin had her reaching under his shirt, moaning her approval. Nathan's hands reached up to her jaw and with firm hands he pulled their faces apart.

"This isn't right," he suddenly said.

"What?...Wha…What the hell are you talking about now?" she demanded, aroused beyond reason "I want you, you want me. What's more right than that?...Oh right, may be you finally realized what a piece of shit I am…I'm not blaming you," she said, breathing heavily.

Nathan stared at her for a second, and then with a look of determination he scooped her into his arms and made his way toward the staircase.

"What are you doing?" Haley demanded as she could feel herself going bright red.

"I don't wanna hear your 'I'm a piece of shit' ramble, Haley….totally bullshit!"

"No, I meant what are you doing?..." Haley asked again with a confused tone.

Nathan smirked at her. "Oh, this?....Well, I'm carrying you to my bed, babe. You're not afraid of a little romance, are you?"

Haley tensed opened her mouth to answer but he sealed her lips with a kiss. Unlike his first assault, this one was slow and sweet, sucking every thought from her head as he carried her effortlessly up the stairs. When he broke the kiss, she looked around. They were in his room where a single candle burned, illuminating the massive four poster bed.

When he set her on her feet, Haley moved to undress him, but only got as far as his shirt and bathrobe before he kissed her again. Lost in the scent, the taste, and the feel of him, she didn't notice her jeans hit the floor, and only when he broke the kiss did she realize that her shirt and jacket were gone. His fingers slid lightly up her thigh, and as Haley gasped and bit Nathan's neck, her bra hit the floor. The world dipped and she was on her back, naked, in Nathan Scott's bed. She wondered for a moment how she got there, and then Nathan touched her and she couldn't think at all.

"You are so beautiful," he said softly, cupping her breasts in his hands. Haley moaned in response, arching her back when he rubbed his thumbs lightly against her nipples. She writhed, wanting more, but Nathan had already moved his hands. They slid over her slender tensed stomach, down her thighs, his calluses teasing the back of her knees.

All the while he kissed her deeply, caressed her neck and collarbone with his lips and teeth, reveling in her hunger, and the frenzied moves of her hands over his body. Haley responded to his every touch, his every caress, and though she moaned for more, he held back, wanting her to feel an inkling of what he felt for her. He never dreamed he'd have her in his house, in his bed so swiftly, but as far as he was concerned she was never leaving.

"Touch me," she begged at last.

Painfully hard, he slid two fingers inside her and watched her scream as she came. Her nails raked his back as her hips rocked frantically against him, but Nathan ignored the pain. Unable to hold back any longer, he lifted one of her legs, resting her ankle on his shoulder, and, kneeling above her, he slid slowly, deeply inside her.

"Oh God!" she cursed, arching her back and tightening around him, "fuck me!"

"I will," Nathan said, "but you have to look at me when I do it. Open your eyes."

Haley's eyes wouldn't open. In response, Nathan made one shallow thrust, his muscles tensing against the pleasure.

"Open your eyes, baby." he repeated, but once again, Haley silently refused. He rubbed his fingertip against her clit, and the contact had her stifling a scream.

"Look at me," he ordered.

Haley bit her lip as he made another shallow thrust, but she finally opened her eyes. Nathan smiled slightly in satisfaction and kneeling above her, his eyes locked to hers, his hand on her knee, he began to move. Beneath him, Haley arched her back, gasping as her muscles tightened around him with every thrust. She moved like a woman possessed, and Nathan gritted his teeth, intending to make the pleasure last.

She felt so right around him, so hot, so wet, so tight, moving with him as though they'd made love hundreds of times before. Her eyes were clouded with her arousal, but as she came for the second time that evening, her expression changed, as though she suddenly read something other than excitement in his eyes. Her expression became tender, almost hopeful, and when she screamed her pleasure, there were tears in her eyes. Those tears were his undoing and Nathan moved immediately to kiss them away. As her lips parted beneath his, she tightened around him, screaming, and her legs locked around his hips. The feel of all that strength wrapped around him, the sound of her screams, was too much.

"I love you, Hales," he said, and with a hoarse cry, he emptied himself into her. _'Fuck!... This feels so fucking good!'_

~***~ ~***~ ~***~

How in the hell, Haley wondered, did she get here?

She was in Nathan's bed, naked, her muscles lax from the most mind blowing sex she'd ever had, and all she could think about was how to get out of there. Then she looked at Nathan, sleeping comfortably on his back, his face illuminated by the light of the dying candle, and all she could think about was climbing on top of him and doing it all over again. This was crazy! She barely knew him; she wasn't even sure she liked the guy, and yet she'd been totally and utterly seduced.

This wasn't good. Haley needed some clarity, and fast.

She pulled on her underwear, bra, and jeans and watched the rise and fall of his chest. His hair was tousled, his face serene. Nathan wasn't a total stranger to her. She knew he was fiercely loyal to his friends, and had thrown himself between her and the most judgmental people on the planet. He was smart, honest, and considerate, with the kind of dry wit that allowed him to insult with a finesse she admired. He could suck the blood from her head with a kiss, and, she realized with shocking clarity, that aloofness she'd initially pegged as disdain was actually shyness. Nathan was shy, but unlike Julian, who made no pretense of it, the man sleeping before her hid it behind an air of cold derision . . . and then Haley suddenly realized something else.

Nathan said he loved her, and he'd meant it; she'd seen it in his eyes. The wave of panic the memory caused had Haley bolting for the door.

She had her hand on the bedroom doorknob when something on his dresser caught her eye.

It was a shiny black heel.

"Do you remember the story of Cinderella?" Nathan asked from behind her. He was out of bed, dressed in jeans, the hurt in his eyes causing a painful lump in her throat.

"Yes." Haley replied, not turning her head.

"The prince falls in love at the first sight of her; the woman destined to be his. She is beautiful, and sad, and so doubtful of her own worth that the moment anyone would question her right to be at that ball, she flees"

Haley's chest tightened painfully, whether it was from fear or hope she wasn't sure.

"What she doesn't seem to realize is that she's better than all of them, and the prince knows it the instant he sees her. He holds on to her shoe because he doesn't know if he'll ever see her again. In order for her to come forward to try on the slipper, she has to see what he sees and understand that what he feels for her is real."

"We barely know each other," she said, her voice shakier than she would have liked.

He asked her, looking deeply into her chocolate brown eyes, "Don't tell me you don't believe in love in love at first sight."

"I don't," she said, slowly.

Nathan was very close now; so close she could smell him, and in spite of herself, Haley's mouth watered.

"Liar." Came his husky reply that sent shivers right through her body.

"Back off!" Haley said desperately. _'Damn, he's so fucking hot'  
_  
Nathan just shook his head at Haley. "I have no intention of backing off. I love you Haley and you can argue with me until you're blue in the face, but you love me too. It's written all over your face, so you might as well stuff whatever argument you were planning on making. You're not getting rid of me, so take your clothes off and get back in my bed!"

Haley's eyes widened and Nathan suspected that his audacity would earn him a slap in the face. His heart hammered in his chest. He had everything riding on this, and with a deep breath, he braced himself for a punch in the face and a heavy dose of heartbreak. With a look of determination, Haley moved toward him, her eyes narrowed to slits; for every step she took, he took one step back, until his knees hit the foot of the bed. One move of Haley's leg and he was on his ass on the bed, with her jumping on top of him. He felt a moment's panic before he got a good look at her face.

She was laughing.

"Damn I like you!" she laughed, her legs pinning both his arms. Leaning forward, she pressed her grinning mouth to his.

Nathan closed his eyes as he sighed. _'Thank God!' _

"So tell me, you want a big wedding or something small?"

Haley threw up her hands as she smiled at him.

"Oh my goodness, Nathan.... Let's not get ahead of ourselves, ok. I'm more concerned with the here and the now . . . and for now, I'm on top." Haley said as innocently as she could.

Nathan laughed… For the first time since they'd met, he laughed. It looked like they'd be living happily ever after . . . and he wouldn't have it any other way.

**END**!

**~***~ ~***~ ~***~**


End file.
